Theatre and Roles ...

Tuesday, March 22, 2011. There is a nice phrase which Billy Graham used once in one of his big sessions on Christian faith: “Someone who has been born in a garage is not necessarily a motor car!” This image is strongly linked to Christian faith. What is it about?

Theatre and Acts …

Have you ever played theatre? Have you been an actor? Have you ever tried to play being someone else? It can be big fun to move into some particular role. It can be fun, but also interesting, giving you a lot of insight into how it is to be that particular person whose role you play.

When we take part in some play, for example playing in some ancient remote country, we need to look like the people of that particular time. We need to behave like them. We need to talk like them. We need to do all they would do - at least we need to do so if we want to create some type of realistic expression of that country.

Sometimes, in our real life we act a little bit like in the theatre. We play some role. We pretend to be someone with a particular character. We pretend to be something or someone of special talents, of particular background. We play the role of our life!

What we really are …

But what are we? Are we what we pretend to be? Are we as cool as we pretend to be? Are we as modern or flexible? Are we as firm and well-set as we claim to be? Are we as knowledgable? Are we as well-known? Who are we? What are we? Where do our roles end and where does truth start?

The question about roles is not trivial. Humans are not completely determined by what they are. They can make decisions. They are to some extend what they choose to be. We are what we change into. We are dynamic.

God wants us to become his children. He wants us to become humans who know him, who are connected to him, living with him, filled with his spirit. He wants us to live a life which is filled by his presence. This changes our being, not just our actions. We leave the roles we have played in the past, and grow into a new role, which is based on facts, based on him, based on his truth in and with us. ... more texts